Unbound: Shadow of Doubt
by Writer under training
Summary: A shadow lurks in the world of Pokemon, casting it's presence everywhere. A mysterious force emerges, putting the bond between humans and Pokemon to the ultimate test. Ash meets a mysterious Pokemon called Hoopa, a mischievous Pokemon that carries a certain hidden power. XY movies AU adaptation with links to the myths of other regions.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** Hello everyone! For those of you who have read Road to be a Pokemon Master, it's been a long time! Unfortunately, I couldn't take the fic further due to lack of interest and also the fact that I have set the fic after BW, and I felt like the XY characters are missing out! And here I am, with my latest fic, taking you into an AU of the Pokemon anime set in the future! More details on the universe setting will be explained in detail in the next chapter! For now, let us shoot straight into the prologue!

 **Unbound: Shadow of Doubt**

 **About Unbound**

Pokemon _Unbound_ will be a series of fanfictions set in an AU with most of the canon characters aged up. Written by dracoflarex from tumblr, this fic aims to show its readers a story that stays true to its canon flavor while trying to connect the various untold potential stories hidden in the Pokemon world.

The fanfiction is set in an alternate universe from the canon with some of its events, slightly altered. The fanfiction acknowledges that Ash has never aged in the canon series, but for its own convenience will age him.

The events of most of the Pokemon movies will be considered canon, with the exception of the XY movies. Which means, Ash and his friends have never met Diancie, Hoopa, Volcanion, Xerneas and Yveltal. The events of the movie "Extremespeed Genesect" will be slightly altered, so that only one Mewtwo exists in the universe.

The events of XY and the current XYZ anime will be considered, but the unaired events as of the day of writing will be assumed. The cut-off for the adaptations of events will be XYZ10.

In addition, many more liberties are taken with the world building and additional explanations to the working behind Pokemon and their powers will be described in detail in the extra material that will be posted on this blog as the fic progresses.

You can additionally track things by following the blog "pokemon-unbound-series" on tumblr

 **Prologue**

To describe the room the young receptionist stepped into, it was a colorful mess. Frilly clothes and ribbons filled the space on the tables, chairs and even the dressers. Expensive looking satin cloth roll lay in a mess in one corner of the room on which was a small, blue Pokémon that seemed to be deep in sleep. But what made the receptionist smile was the blue-haired woman sleeping on the desk, amidst sheets of paper filled with colorful sketches.

"Miss Dawn," the reception tapped the blunette lightly, her voice gentle. The girl in her mid-teens slowly opened her eyes, registering the presence of the blond woman. She raised her head and blinked groggily at her. "You have a visitor."

"What's the time?" She said, the wall clock answering her question. "I must have dozed off again." She stretched her arms and let out a yawn, before standing up. Her legs wobbled a little, probably because she spent too much time sitting on the chair. She looked at the sketches lying on her desk, and let out a sigh. "Is it someone important?" She asked.

"I have reason to believe so," the receptionist said, her lips spreading with a smile. "It's Champion Cynthia."

Dawn looked at her as if she were just hit by a Thunderbolt. "Cynthia?!" Any remaining drowsiness in her face disappeared.

In a few minutes, the former coordinator was all fresh and dressed up. Dawn didn't like stepping out if she was anything less than perfect and that goes double when the person she had to meet was someone important like the Champion of Sinnoh.

The said woman was sitting in the longue, going through the fashion magazines one after the other. The entire building looked grand, with smooth ceramic tiles. An automatic glass door led straight to the reception, next to which was the lounge for visitors.

"Cynthia," Dawn greeted the champion. The champion looked up from the magazine she was engrossed in and gave a warm smile. "You've really come!"

"Of course, I can't ignore a request so important," she said, standing up. "It's good to see you again, Dawn." The two shook their hands, following which, the receptionist showed them to a room where they could talk in private.

"I'm sorry I had to suddenly call you up," Dawn asked, as the two settled down on their seats. "It's been a long since we last met."

"It's okay. I had no important matches scheduled this week," she said, brushing her hair aside. "So how is being a Pokéstylists like?"

"It's exhausting," Dawn said, remembering how she had dozed off on her desk last night. It wasn't the first time either. "But I love it. Retiring from contests was difficult but I don't regret it."

"Speaking of contests," the champion said. "I have heard that there is a collaborative festival in Kalos this year. I think it's called the Kalos Carnival."

Dawn looked in surprise. "Really? Are Pokéstylists invited too?"

Cynthia nodded. "It's a cross-cultural festival which is going to bring artists, coordinators, Pokémon performers, musical performers and of course Pokéstylists together. Even the Pokémon Sommelier Association is a part of the event and will be the judges for many of the events."

"Wow," Dawn said, tapping the buttons of her Pokétch. "I'll look into this. I have always wanted to visit Kalos actually."

"I'm glad I could help you somehow," Cynthia smiled. "Kalos is also hosting a Champions' League this time and the preliminaries will be starting in two months."

"I must be living under a rock," Dawn said, looking embarrassed. "Just like my mom says, I really am behind the time these days."

Cynthia chuckled. "The league will be attracting a lot of people, which is also why they are hosting the carnival around the same time."

"I'll make sure to attend that then. It sounds like something I can't miss!"

The two remained silent for a second before a sudden seriousness took over the atmosphere. "So, what exactly is that you wanted to talk to me about?" Cynthia asked, breaking the ice.

Dawn took a deep breath before she spoke. "I'm sorry for keeping you in suspense all this time. But…" Her expression faltered for a second. "Yesterday I had a strange dream, and I saw Mesprit in it." She shook her head slightly. "To be more accurate, I _was_ Mesprit in the dream."

The champion raised an eyebrow. "Continue."

"It was really hazy, but I think I was watching the whole thing through Mesprit's eyes. We were alone somewhere deep inside the lake, hiding from something damgerous. I don't know what it was but I knew it was coming close. I was scared because I wasn't even sure what I was fighting, or at least that's how it was in the dream. Before I know what was happening, something grabbed me and then it became dark all of a sudden. I woke up after that."

"It could be Mesprit's shared vision." Cynthia mumbled. "Whatever you saw might be Mespirit's experience."

"Or maybe I just had a nightmare." Dawn said, taking a deep sigh. She wanted to believe in that but she couldn't. "I haven't been able to sleep properly lately."

The champion couldn't help but chuckle at this. "But what do you believe, Dawn? What do your instincts tell you?"

Dawn thought for a second. "It tells me there's trouble and I am asked for help…but I could be imagining too much. I don't think Ash or Brock had experienced something like this."

"Their connection to the lake guardians might be weak given they are in Kanto," she paused. "Or well wherever Ash is right now. Dawn, what if there's an unforeseen danger and you are the only one who has come to know of it."

"I'd say 'Why me'," Dawn said, letting out a wry laugh. She stood up from her seat and walked a bit. "But I'd also go to Lake Verity and see what's wrong."

"If it's a false alarm, you could still enjoy a day at your hometown."

"I hope that's the case, really." She pumped her fist, mocking a confident expression. "But hey even if it's an apocalyptic terror, there's no need to worry." She looked at the ceiling, observing the orange light that brightened the room. "I'll take care of it," she said, half sarcastic.

"But maybe that's when we have to worry the most."

The two women exchanged a glance before chuckling again. The heavy topic ended on a lighter note but the two Sinnoans couldn't help but feel that they wouldn't like whatever it was in store for them.

* * *

 **Meanwhile, somewhere in the Unova region…**

The skyscrapers of the Castelia City decorated the night with innumerable neon lights, painting a picture resembling the stars. Standing on top of one of these taller buildings was a Pokémon whose existence was unknown to the millions of people who walked underneath.

The Pokémon moved amongst people, curiously observing their behavior and watching over the Pokémon that bonded with them. To that strange Pokémon, who was created by humans to be their tool, bonding with them was a difficult task. And yet, despite its own reservations against human nature, it knew all humans weren't the same and began to understand the beautiful bond that existed between humans and Pokémon.

The Pokémon was known as Mewtwo, a name that constantly reminded of its unnatural existence.

Mewtwo's powerful senses gave it the ability to study each and every of the millions of people and Pokémon, learn their stories, muse over their behaviors and silently judged the from afar. Today was not any different for the psychic Pokémon, as it was deep engrossed in studying the lives of the people.

Or so it thought.

The Pokémon's tail twitched, a strange feeling of discomfort left it uneasy.

The source of discomfort was an unusual presence, but the Pokémon couldn't spot anything concrete nearby that could be disturbing. The presence was somewhere far away, it deduced, before spreading its search to much farther locations.

'For a Pokémon cloned out of an elusive legendary and enhanced in ability, such as task was not impossible. Just by standing at one place, it could know what happened in the entire region if it chose to do so.

Mewtwo's search ended when its senses reached the northernmost area of Unova. The Pokémon opened its eyes in surprise, _'That enormous presence, is it a Pokémon?'_

If it was a Pokémon, then it was anything unlike what it had seen so far. Mewtwo tried to push its senses further but a strange barrier blocked its psychic energy. Shifting its focus, the Pokémon focused on the distant New Tork City, where it was welcomed by familiar yet powerful Pokémon.

"Can you hear me, Genesect?"

Only silence replied the psychic before it could hear Genesect's thoughts reaching it back. "Mewtwo? Is that you?"

"Yes," Mewtwo replied back in telepathy, its tail twitched in anticipation. "Far up north I sense a strange presence I cannot identify. It is so overwhelming I could feel it even in Castelia City."

"I'm aware, we had in fact sensed the presence many days ago."

"Days?"

"Yes, the presence does not threaten us but it is alarming. For that sake, I have sent one of mine to see what it was. We are yet to hear from Douse." The swarm leader remained silent before speaking again. "But to think you could feel it that far even without trying...that's rather troublesome."

"It is." A strange glow shrouded Mewtwo as it lifted itself into the air before setting its eyes towards the north. "I do not know what it is, but I shall see it for myself."

The psychic type closed its eyes and brought its crossed arms towards its chest. Even though it lacked the bond with a human and a mega stone, Mewtwo's innate ability to study its own DNA let it achieve something no other Pokémon could. The Pokémon let out a grunt, in a voice that could be called masculine before a blinding light enveloped its essence.

When the light dissipated, the Pokémon underneath changed in form, much smaller in height with a projection resembling a tail extended from behind on its head.

The Pokémon could no longer just be called Mewtwo. Although it didn't know what it could call such a strange forme, Mewtwo believed it was similar to Mega Evolution and hence it called itself, Mega Mewtwo.

"I'm heading to that place," Mewtwo said to its distant friend. The Pokémon's tone changed to a more feminine one, if one could call it that. And then—

At a speed beyond anyone's imagination, Mega Mewtwo dashed towards its destination. At such a monstrous speed, one could expect to see nothing more than a blur but Mega Mewtwo's enhanced senses let it keep a track of its movements as if it were nothing. From the eyes of the mega evolved Pokémon, time itself had slowed down to adjust to its speed.

Such an incredible phenomenon was possible only due to the incredible psychic force the Pokémon possessed. It was unheard of, but Mega Mewtwo's skill let it manipulate its psychic power to boost its entire body and move at a speed beyond the limits of ordinary Pokémon.

In what seemed like a few minutes but was only few seconds, Mega Mewtwo reached the northern most part of Unova. The landscape was a mountainous snow, with a bitter cold weather reminiscent of the wretched peaks of Mt. Silver. The Pokémon gasped when it found itself staring at a swirling storm of ice extending as far as it could see into the sky, it was about as wide as a battlefield.

Clearly, the storm was not normal.

 _'So this is what has been stopping my psychic from reaching inside._ '

Being used to detecting the presence of life around it, Mewtwo couldn't help but feel uncomfortable when it couldn't detect what lay ahead of the storm.

Just then, in a red blur another Pokémon appeared and landed right next to Mewtwo. The Pokémon turned to its acquaintance. "You've come."

"This strange storm has been bothering me," Red Genesect said, checking out the large pillar that was huge both in width and height. "I never witnessed anything like this before." It lowered its head. Although Mewtwo couldn't decipher its facial expression, it didn't take much to guess that the Pokémon was worried. "Douse is inside."

"We shall go," Mega Mewtwo said, lifting itself into the air. Despite the unease it felt, the Pokémon decided to enter, prepared to fight whatever lay inside. Letting out a battle cry, the psychic type dashed into the storm at once.

"Mewtwo, wait!" Red Genesect screeched in warning.

As soon as it propelled into the storm, Mega Mewtwo found its vision and psychic senses completely cut off. But it continued to charge blindly in hope that it could find an advantageous position inside but—

Out of nowhere, sharp blades struck the torpedoing Pokémon, throwing it out of control.

"Magical leaf?" Before Mewtwo could understand what happened, something powerful struck it on the face. The psychic type found itself being shot away by an enormous force and landed outside the storm on the solid ground of ice.

Without a doubt, the attack that knocked it away was a Hyper Beam.

Ignoring the burning pain on its chest, Mewtwo levitated back onto its feet and powered down into its original form. The psychic's tail twitched, displeased by the surprise attack. The wall of snowstorm continued to rage as if nothing happened. However, Mewtwo could make out four silhouettes that stood by the border, the swirling ice concealing their appearance.

"Who is that?" Red Genesect asked, wary of the four mysterious Pokémon that stood in front.

Mewtwo could feel that their strong presence was unlike the other Pokémon it had met in Unova. The Pokémon before them were either legendary or extremely powerful, it deduced. "I do not know, but I can tell they will not let us in so easily."

"You are not allowed to come this way," One of the Pokémon spoke, it's voice serious and commanding. The creature looked sturdy and confident as it spoke with a voice, bold like steel. "The Giant Chasm is off limits to you."

At this, another creature with a bulky body moved, and lifted something with its muzzle and threw it in Mewtwo's direction. A purple mass crashed on the icy floor and toppled its way towards the duo. Mewtwo could sense Red Genesect stiffen in surprise, the bug quickly jumped towards the mass lying on the ground.

Mewtwo followed, recognizing that it was one of the Genesect swarm. The blue cassette on its back suggested that it was Douse, the youngest of the group. Red Genesect screeched in worry, speaking to its fallen comrade in its language, the latter replied with a weak screech before falling unconscious.

The psychic type could feel anger welling up inside, a powerful psychic aura began to envelop it in consequence.

"You are a powerful Pokémon," a second voice spoke from behind the storm, its tone graceful and feminine. "Without a doubt you must be some mythical Pokémon of another land."

Mewtwo remained silent, not wanting to divulge into myths and legends. It may have the power of one, but Mewtwo knew in the end it was just a simple clone, one without a story or a myth behind it.

"Then you must know that it is wrong to step into the boundaries of another," the voice belonged to the burly Pokémon.

"Leave this place at once!" The fourth Pokémon, with an energetic voice jumped forward and let out a stream of water.

Without batting an eye, Mewtwo used its psychic powers to stop the incoming Hydropump and quickly deflected it away as if it were swatting an annoying fly.

"Keldeo, stop!" The first Pokémon turned to the younger one, who bowed its head in respect. "We don't want unnecessary battles."

"Keldeo…" Mewtwo tried to remember the name, but couldn't connect the Pokémon to any of the Unovan myths. The Pokémon also seemed young, suggesting that it could be a new addition to the legendary. 'So, I am not the only newcomer here.' Mewtwo couldn't help but muse.

The psychic type sensed the tenseness amongst the four, probably unnerved by the exchange earlier. "We do not wish to battle you," the older Pokémon spoke. "However, we cannot let you go further. You must choose to either battle or leave."

"We had no intentions to harm your kin." The burly Pokémon turned to Red Genesect. "However, it was a battle we couldn't avoid. We apologize for that."

Mewtwo gave Red Genesect a glance, trying to read the Pokémon's emotions. If it's friend wanted to demand justice for the unfair treatment against its kin, Mewtwo wouldn't hesitate to help and defeat the four. But the decision was Red Genesect's.

After a long silence the bug type stood up, lifting its fallen friend on its shoulder. "Let's go."

Mewtwo watched in surprise as the bug type slowly levitated away. Giving the four legendary Pokémon a wary glance, Mewtwo followed its friend and floated upwards. The two stopped after reaching a great height, from which the four Pokémon they faced were only tiny dots standing by the long pillar of snowstorm.

"I am surprised you didn't want revenge," Mewtwo said, remembering Red Genesect's desire to take revenge for its lost home. "Those Pokémon were unreasonable."

"It is true," Red Genesect said. "But I also know how it feels like protecting one's home. It was our fault for not knowing it was their territory. I should not have sent Douse to explore without seeking their permission first."

Mewtwo couldn't relate to the feeling, for it was one Pokémon that lacked a home. Where in the world did it truly belong to, anyway? The suburbs of Castelia? The hilly ranges surrounding Mt. Coronet? The grand waterfalls between Kanto and Johto? Or was its true home the lab of ?

The world must be a place open to everyone, unbounded by territories or so Mewtwo believed. But was it a meaningful ideal? Or was it just the ramblings of a homeless Pokémon? Mewtwo didn't have answers to these questions.

"But I can say one thing for sure." The psychic stared at the storm, its senses searching for something deep within. "There is something inside, and it is frighteningly powerful."

"I can sense it too. Whatever it is, it feels like it is getting stronger by the day." Red Genesect turned in the opposite direction. "We shall leave now, but if this keeps increasing and threaten my home, I shall not spare it." The Pokémon's eyes glowed with a red light as it began to fly back in the direction of New Tork city.

Mewtwo gave its friend a silent goodbye and stared at the storm for one last time. "Protecting your home…how does it matter when the world itself is your home?"

Deep in its thoughts, Mewtwo turned around and flew away in another direction.

 **More coming up next chapter...**


	2. Chapter 1: Coincidence

**Author's Note:** Here we go! Chapter 1 is finally here! I am sorry for the delay and I have not been able to reply the reviews immediately. Rest assured, updates will be more regular! And all suggestions given will be taken into account and open for discussion!

 **Chapter 1: Coincidence**

Life is full of coincidences. Every event in your life happens to be an ensemble of such unconnected occurrences, not linked to one another but somehow collectively walking you towards a certain point called destiny. Every person has their own destiny and whatever their actions are, lead up to the moment they call the 'truth' of life.

Of course, this is just one person's definition of life, not one you would necessarily agree with.

This story too, starts with one such coincidence.

 **Alter Town, Mintacqa Region.**

It was a quaint town in a region far away from Sinnoh or Kalos. The morning was peaceful, shops and markets were slowly opening and the roads became busier with people who walked alongside their Pokémon, showing how integral the creatures have become to their daily lives.

The peaceful town-square set the stage for the rendezvous of two rivals, facing off in a reuniting battle in a clash that disturbed the silent atmosphere.

"Glalie, Ice Beam!" The trainer with raven-black hair commanded. Standing by his side, with an expression equally serious was his partner, Pikachu.

"Metagross, Flash Cannon!" The trainer on the other end was a stout redhead, who wore simple saffron robes.

Standing between them were two creatures, ready to use their strength to defeat one another. At the command of their trainers, the Headbutt Pokémon and the Iron Leg Pokémon let out blasts of energy that collided in the gap that separated them, resulting in an intense explosion followed by a thick fog of smoke.

As the smoke cleared the trainer muttered, "Not bad, Morrison."

"Just you watch Ash," Morrison replied back, his expression a confident sneer. "Metagross, give your all with a Meteor Mash!"

The steel type let out its battle cry and propelled its way towards the opposing Glalie, its foreleg glowing with a bright energy.

Ash replied, "Glalie, show your full power with a Gyro Ball!"

Letting out a snarl, the ice type began to spin about itself with a silverish glow and charged towards its opponent like a bowling ball. The attacks met midway, the spinning ball resisting the strong force that rammed at it. Sparks of flames flew as Glalie's spinning body rubbed against Metagross's claws.

Eventually, the sheer power of the Meteor Mash overwhelmed Glalie's spinning resistance, sending it flying away.

"How about that!" Morrison puffed his chest out proudly.

Ash watched as Glalie shot past him towards a wall behind, but he didn't show fear or surprise. As if to answer the trainer's confidence, Glalie spun around as it was about to hit the wall and then bounced off it like a ball. Using the momentum of the rebound, Glalie immediately shot towards Metagross at a great speed.

"Don't underestimate us, Morrison." Ash said, balling his fists. "Glalie, put your full power into a Crunch!"

Crashing onto the off guard steel type with a great force, the ice type capitalized the surprise factor by closing its powerful jaws on its opponent's thick body. As Metagross cringed in pain at the super-effective move, Glalie bounced back onto the ground like a ball and then lifted itself into the air, upside down.

"Don't let it get away just like that," Morrison gritted his teeth. He believed that Glalie was vulnerable while it was still on the move. "Fire your strongest Flash Cannon!"

Metagross quickly responded by concentrating its steel energy into a beam and fired it at the airborne Pokémon. But then—

"No way I'm going to let _that_ happen," Ash said, spreading his arms in a energetic pose. "Glalie, use your best Ice Counter Shield!"

In a stunning move, the Pokémon began to focus its ice energy in the midst of its flight and began spinning in the air. The ice beam that shot out as it spun turned into a spiral of energy that shielded it from Metagross's pure beam of energy.

"What the heck is that?!" Morrison exclaimed.

The steel type energy that struck the ice spiral was cut apart and tiny sparks of energy flew everywhere in a rain of minor explosions, making holes in the brick road. Meanwhile the ice spiral froze everything in its perimeter, including the water in the fountain nearby and the walls of the adjacent buildings.

However, either of the battling trainers didn't pay attention to that. They were so focused in besting each other with their attacks, they ignored the impact it caused on the surroundings. A crowd began to collect around the scene, the onlookers became interested in the exciting battle between the boundlessly energetic trainers.

"That's my Glalie's counter shield," Ash said, the corner of his lips curled up in a confident smile. "It's a technique where we attack and defend at the same time. What do you think?"

Morrison laughed aloud at this, causing Ash to raise an eyebrow. The Hoennian trainer rubbed his nose before looking at Ash, his expression a mix of admiration and defiance. "You're great, Ash. Just as I hoped you would be." He folded his arms and nodded to himself. "Yup, I would have been really disappointed if you were anything less."

Ash smiled, adjusting his hat. "In that case, let's go all out and show our best." He raised his arm and waved it down. "Glalie, bounce and use Crunch!"

"The best?" Morrison smiled, showing his teeth. "We'll be better than our best! Metagross, maximum strength Meteor Mash!"

Pounding its leg against the floor, the steel type prepared to launch itself into the air to attack the incoming ice type. Either trainer was filled with glee, losing themselves completely in the heat of the match. While Metagross launched itself into the air like a rocket, Glalie shot down like a meteor to intercept it. The Pokémon were about to collide in midair, putting full powers into their attacks as if they didn't know the meaning of holding back. But then—

"Thunder Wave!"

A third voice called for an attack out of nowhere. A wave of electricity struck both the airborne Pokémon, enveloping them in static electricity. Startled, the Pokémon stopped their attacks but continued to ram into each other before falling on the ground.

"Glalie!"

"Metagross!"

The surprised trainers took a second to realize what happened, before they threw an angry glare at the source of the attack. Amongst the crowd, they found a Manectric standing in front, growling at them as its mane showed static electricity. Standing behind the Manectric in a commanding pose was a familiar face dressed in a blue uniform.

"Officer Jenny?" Ash muttered in surprise.

"What?" Morrison looked half surprised and half scared.

"The two of you are under arrest for conducting a battle in the middle of the town," The Officer said, readying her handcuffs. "You'll also be paying for the damage done to public property." She pointed at the frozen walls, water fountain and the broken road.

Ash and Morrison returned their Pokémon and looked at the damage as they walked towards the officer. "I guess we went a bit overboard after all," he scratched his cheek, laughing nervously.

"The two of you are going to face serious charges because of your recklessness," Jenny said, her voice stern and eyes glaring at them in a way that sent a shiver down their spine.

"We're really sorry, Officer." Ash said, as the two boys fervently bowed down to the older woman.

"We'll never repeat this again," Morrison said, earnestness and desperation in his voice.

Even the tough-hearted officer couldn't help but soften at their plea. "I'm sorry, but rules are rules." She said, her voice low. "Of course, you can always pay a fine and walk free with your Trainer Exemption Rights but…" She hesitated for some reason.

"How much is it, Officer Jenny?" Ash asked, wondering if he could pay that much.

"I can only make a rough estimate but imagine it to be in the order of a 100,000 Poké," she said, resting her hand on her hips.

Ash exchanged a glance with his friend, who had a worried expression on his face. There was no way either of them could afford that much. It didn't seem like Morrison's family was well off either. He recollected Morrison saying how his parents couldn't afford to his studies as a Pokémon trainer. He traveled around with the money he earned from part-time jobs and the league prize remuneration.

Morrison looked down and closed his eyes, as if to say he was accepting defeat. Ash gritted his teeth, scolding himself for accepting a battle in the middle of nowhere. It was a lot of amount, but at least his mother would be able to pay that. "Officer, I can—"

"Wait, Ash." Morrison didn't let him continue. "It's completely my fault, officer. I challenged him as soon as I saw him and forced him to battle by taking out my Metagross. Please punish only me."

Ash looked at his friend, eyebrows raised in surprise. He turned to the officer, "But the battle wouldn't have happened if I didn't take Glalie out. Please officer, I'll pay the fine."

It was Jenny's turn to look lost and confused. "Look I don't know who the instigator is, but both of you are equally at fault for this. Either way, I'm afraid you'll have to come with me. You can make some calls if you need once we get there."

"I believe that is not needed."

A new voice from within the crowd took Ash's attention. A thin and tall man, who seemed to be in his late-twenties walked in, wearing a purple jacket and matching light colored pants. His white shoes had a large heel, attributing to his strange walking style. Ash read the logo 'Leppa' on the shirt before he turned towards Jenny.

"A-And who might you be?" The Officer stuttered in surprise when the taller man stood in front of her.

"Just a passerby who likes Pokémon battles," he turned to the boys and spread his lips wide in what seemed like a pleasant smile. "It would be a shame if these young and talented men were punished for being…slightly enthusiastic."

"I understand that but the rules are rules," the Officer said.

At this, the man took out a strange booklet and tore a paper out of it. "You can fill in the figure yourself, it's signed." He gave it to Jenny with the same smile. The Officer took it, still looking confused. "But of course, I'd love a scan of the bill sent to my e-mail, you can find it written on the back of the check."

"I'm afraid I can't accept this," she said. "We have a procedure and some paperwork to do, but you can join us and…"

"Now officer, I don't like wasting my time and so do these young men." He glanced at his wrist watch for a second before continuing. "None of us are breaking rules here, just doing things fast and effectively."

Not waiting for Jenny, he turned towards Ash and Morrison and ushered the two from the scene. "Boys, let's go."

"W-Wait..!" He ignored the officer completely.

After walking away from the line of eyesight of the officer, the tall man finally stopped. The Verdantuf Town trainer spoke first with an earnest bow, "Thank you very much, sir."

Mirroring his friend's action, Ash lowered his hat and bowed in respect. "We could've been in serious trouble if you hadn't come. My name is A—"

"I know who the two of you are," the man said, not letting the young Ketchum finish. "You're Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, fifteen years old and you are Morrison Slammers from Verdantuf, also fifteen years old."

Ash had his mouth wide open in surprise. "Wait, how do you know all that?"

"By any chance are you a psychic?" Morrison asked, the thought of meeting one pleased him.

"Like I said earlier, I am just a passerby who likes Pokémon battles. Well if you want to call me something, my name's Simon Shortman." He tapped his watch again, purple in color like his clothes, shades and hair. "The two of you have officially battled four years ago at the Hoenn League Evergrande Conference. So, it's not a coincidence, hmm. You must be together, right?"

"Uh, Ash and I are lifelong rivals," Morrison explained, not quite understanding what Simon meant. He placed a fist on his chest and said proudly. "We swore to grow as strong as we can and become the greatest trainers ever."

"We didn't see each other since the Hoenn League," Ash said, laughing as he rubbed the back of his head. "So we decided to start a battle right away and I guess we kinda overdid it." He looked down, "We're really sorry for what happened."

"Don't worry about that," Simon waved his hand, gently admonishing. "It's not like I have paid you out for nothing. In fact, there's something I need your help with. It's a request I can make only to experienced trainers." His tone was chirpy.

Ash and Morrison glanced at each other again. "We'd do anything for you, sir."

"Am I glad now?" Simon replied as he fiddled with his watch again, humor in his voice. "There's a rare Pokémon roaming around in this city and I need your help in finding it. This Pokémon is mischievous and can cause troubles with its extraordinary abilities. Not to mention, it's so rare that some bad people might hunt for it."

"A rare Pokémon?" Morrison asked.

Ash frowned, the possibility of a Pokémon landing in the hands of someone bad worried him. "If it's a Pokémon in trouble, there's no way we're going to sit around!"

Morrison glanced at him before exclaiming, "I'm with Ash!"

Simon smiled at this. "Thank you, I knew I did a good thing when I chose the two of you."

* * *

Meanwhile somewhere far away in the west, at a coincidental timing, a certain sommelier was exploring the capital of Kalos.

 **Lumiose City, Kalos Region**

"Fancy restaurants! Beautiful art museums! The Boutique Couture for truly fashionable dressing! Ah, let's not forget the Galette stand! I have not even covered half of my list, each and every inch of this city has a unique artistic taste. I cannot hold this excitement throbbing in my heart! Lumiose City stays true to its reputation. This is truly a splendid mixture of art and culture!"

Lost in his excitement, the green-haired man in his late teens was exploring the Lumiose City to his heart's content. Dressed in a suit with a bowtie the same shade as his hair, Cilan was an S-Class Pokémon Sommelier from Unova.

He ignored the beeping of his Livecaster when he set his eyes on the grand Prism tower, completely mesmerized by its majestic beauty.

"Prism…tower…" Cilan sounded like he could barely hold his excitement. His eyes sparkled as he silently gazed at the tower for a whole minute. "What a fantastic taste…" His voice was almost a whisper.

And then the whole of Lumiose City heard a squeal of excitement. For the next few minutes, the Unovan was all over the Prism tower, clicking pictures from different angles and enjoying the beauty of the majestic construction. He rambled about the beauty of its engineering and then its artistic outlook. A small crowd formed around the Sommelier, who interestingly listened as he began to pour in facts about the tower.

'Looks like the people in Kalos respect Sommeliers,' he thought to himself. His experience in Hoenn and Sinnoh had been less than stellar. Since then, he had been more than determined about establishing the presence of the Sommelier association in the eastern regions.

"Thank you very much," he bowed to the crowd at the end, upon which they applauded him. "Thank you."

As they dispersed, a tough-looking man in his forties approached Cilan. "This is the first I've seen a Sommelier give their tasting to the public so freely." He smiled before extending Cilan a hand. "The name's Meyer. Thanks for your tasting of Kalos's pride, Prism Tower."

"It's nothing," Cilan said, with a slight bow. "I have talked out of pure passion, the Prism tower was something I always wanted to see." Cilan knew that Sommeliers tend to charge a huge fee for their tasting. Honestly, he wasn't sure if the rambling he did was even a proper tasting.

"Well in that case, would you like to see the inner working of Prism tower? There are many things that are not open to outsiders but I could give you a special trip."

Cilan looked surprised. "That would be an honor but, how could you…?"

Meyer smiled at this. "My family has a strong connection with the tower. In fact, my son is the Gym Leader."

"Lumiose City gym," Cilan scratched his chin in thought. "If I remember correctly, the leader is a young genius who trains electric types. He fell in trouble with the Pokémon League Academy for having a robot as his replacement."

"That's my son, Clemont! So what do you think uh…"

"My name is Cilan, S-Class sommelier. I would be glad to take your offer, sir."

Running into someone affiliated with the inner-workings of the tower was a pleasant coincidence. Although he didn't believe in them, he thanked his stars for meeting Meyer.

* * *

 **Back to Alter Town…**

"We found it!"

Morrison returned to where Simon was, a monkey-like Pokémon in his hands. He showed the creature to the older man, who stared at it blankly. The Aipom tilted its head in confusion, as if it had no idea what was going on.

Morrison nodded. "It stole my sandwiches," he said, as if it were an important fact.

The purple-haired man removed his shades and wiped the sweat on his forehead with a pink handkerchief. "It certainly seems like a mischievous Pokémon that causes trouble." His lips spread in a smile. "Congratulations on finding it!" He clapped, to which Ash and Morrison exchanged a glance, the expression of victory written on their faces. And then Simon added slowly, "But it's not what I am looking for."

The boys' expression dropped as quickly as they brightened up.

Simon checked the watch in his hand. "Strange, it seems to have learned to escape my radar. Aren't you a resourceful little one? Maybe I'll have to hire more trainers." He was deep in thought, even as he spoke.

"Uh…Mr. Simon?"

"Yes, Ash?"

"Can you tell us what kind of Pokémon we are looking for?" Ash asked. "It'll be easier."

Simon looked around, as if he didn't hear him. "Oh you'll know when you see it…because you probably never saw it before. I am sure it's somewhere in the city, the locator says it's nearby but at the same time it can't pinpoint the location. Maybe it's moving from place to place quickly or…" he paused, before his eyes widened in realization. "Or maybe it found a blind spot. Maybe it could be deep inside an apartment where my device cannot detect its presence?"

Ash and Morrison exchange an uneasy glance. "Mr. Simon, Morrison and I will search for it by ourselves. We'll make sure to find the Pokémon and come back to you."

"Oh sure," he waved, still focused on his device. "But remember if you cross the boundary of this city without telling me, I'll have you jailed." He added with a smile

 **Minutes later…**

"That Simon person is really strange, isn't he?" The Verdantuf trainer muttered as they both walked down a busy street.

Ash scratched his head. "I don't really get him. I hope the Pokémon he's searching for isn't as weird as he is."

Morrison opened his mouth to reply when his stomach growled. He laughed with a weak voice. "Guess I'm hungry."

Ash nodded, "I think I'm going to die if I don't eat in the next ten seconds."

Understanding that they were on the same page, the pair looked around if there was any good place to eat. Their eyes landed on a donut shop that seemed moderately crowded. At once, their hungers doubled and the growls of their stomachs turned into roars.

"Alright, let's have some have donuts!" Ash rushed into the shop.

"I hope there are some jelly filled ones," Morrison added, following him

It didn't take much time for the two energetic trainers to find a table and take over the food. They stuffed themselves with the donuts one serving after the other, as if the world was about to end in two more minutes and eating donuts was the last thing they could do. Even Ash's Pikachu had its own plate, though the Pokémon slowly nibbled its way through.

They spoke between the servings, ignoring the food flying out of their mouths. "Ash, I remember you hanging out with a bunch of people. What happened to them?"

Ash thought for a second, wondering what to reply and then said, "They are in different places right now…doing different things." It was perhaps the first time in five years of traveling that he had been alone. "This time, I am just training by myself. I want to win the Champions' League at any cost."

Morrison's eyes sparked with determination. "Three more months. I'm really psyched, Ash! I trained so hard I thought I'd beat you up when we met…heh but you aren't that bad either."

Ash looked at his plate and found three donuts left, he had to speed up before the next round arrived. "Of course, I am. I won't forgive myself if I ever give up on my dream." He paused to ponder for a second. "Now that you mentioned, everyone else must be training hard too, I didn't really think about that before."

Morrison nodded and said, "Qualifying for the Champions' League will be difficult too. You have to be top 16 in your region and there are trainers from 64 different regions participating." He pumped his fists in the air. "But I'll make it no matter what!"

Ash exclaimed in reply, "Me too!"

He looked at this plate again, to finish the three donuts left. However, he found his plate empty. "Hey, where did my donuts go?"

A waiter approached them, with another serving. "Is something the problem, sir?" He asked, as he served the both.

"I had three donuts left and now there's nothing."

"Mine too!" Morrison exclaimed, looking at his plate with a horrified expression.

The waiter smiled. "Our donuts are quite tasty that it's hard to keep a count, sir. Should I bring you more?"

"I guess," the two said together.

When the waiter left, Ash muttered, "That's really strange…"

"Pika?" His partner seemed to be concerned. Ash smiled and petted him in thanks.

"Maybe we did really eat them quickly," Morrison said, rubbing his nose. "I guess the donuts here are really good." His expression turned pale at once.

"What's wrong?" Ash asked.

"My donuts are gone again!" Morrison exclaimed.

"What?" Ash looked at his own plate and found out that the plate filled with donuts a second ago was now empty. "Mine are gone too!"

"Sir, what happened?" The waiter rushed to the scene.

"My donuts are missing again," Ash said, looking at the waiter with confusion and a childish disappointment.

"Are you sure you're not mistaken, sir?" The waiter asked.

His Pikachu jumped onto his shoulders suddenly, "Pikapi!" The Pokémon exclaimed in a hushed tone, and pointed at a nearby table.

Ash found a ring floating near the plate on the table, much to his surprise. Before he could even comprehend what the floating ring was, a tiny hand appeared out of it and picked the donuts while the customers weren't looking.

"What's that?!" His tone was laced with anger.

He quickly jumped to the scene just as the hand went for grabbing another. "Come back, you thief!" He caught the hand in action.

Although he didn't understand what was going on, Ash could see that the owner of the hand struggled to pull itself back. But the Pallet trainer wasn't planning on giving up. "I won't let you—!" He pulled with all his force, only to be surprised when the hand's owner stopped resisting all of a sudden. The resulting imbalanced caused the trainer to fall back on his rear end.

"Ash, are you okay?" Morrison rushed to him.

Ash nodded as he expressionlessly looked at the floating ring. "Yeah, sort of."

"Pikachu Pikapi!" Pikachu pointed at something under a table next to them. At first Ash couldn't spot anything but then he noticed a small silhouette. His eyes widened.

The silhouette moved, grinning as it came into the light. "Surprise!"

With two horns akin to a Tauros and a light purple skin with pink markings, the Pokémon looked no bigger than his partner, Pikachu. It had a mischievous smile on its face that reminded him of unruly preschool children and possessed two golden rings that hung from the Pokémon's horns and another around its waist.

"What's that?" Ash wondered aloud, as he opened his Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon.

Little did he know that the Pokédex would have no information in store for him, because the Pokémon that stood before him was no ordinary mischievous creature. It was the remnants of a monstrous Pokémon that once terrorized the lands of Mintacqa region.

* * *

At the very same time, to the far north-east, a young woman pondered over the strange dreams she had been experiencing over the last few weeks. She was clearly sleep-deprived and anxious, judging from the way she had three cups of coffee in under fifteen minutes.

 **Jubilife City, Sinnoh region**

At first, Dawn wrote it off as lack of sleep and stress. With the fashion competition approaching, she had been putting extra effort and sleep a few hours every day. It didn't help that she had the tendency to get nervous over little details before entering an important competition.

She had invited the champion of Sinnoh to ease her anxiety, hoping that Cynthia had some answers to her confusing dreams. They had decided to go to Lake Verity, although neither of them had confirmed when they were going to be there.

She took a sip of her coffee, disinterestedly watching the garden around the campus through the glass window. She had grown weary of the view through the cafeteria after watching it every day for the last two years.

"Lost in thought? That's unlike you."

The voice that popped suddenly behind her frightened the Pokéstylist, almost causing the coffee to slip from her hands. She frowned, giving the bespectacled teen behind her an annoyed glance. "You have great timing as usual, Conway."

"Just a _coincidence_ , Dawn." He said, adjusting his glasses. "We happened to run into each other at the right time."

'So you happen to walk into the cafeteria at _my_ workplace just when I am taking a _break_?' She didn't ask the question aloud because there was no way she was going to make Conway admit that he had specifically come to meet her.

"So, what brings you here?" She asked, casually.

"I heard the champion was here yesterday."

"She came to meet me," Dawn said, wondering how he got such information. "It's been a while so we wanted to have a small chat." Conway wordlessly observed her, adjusting his glasses. Did he not believe her? Either way, she was sticking to that story. "Is that all you came to ask?"

"I also wanted to wish you good luck for the competition."

She smiled at this, any hint of annoyance disappeared. "Thank you, Conway! I think my concept is really solid this time around. Do you want to take a look at some of my designs?" She was hoping for a second opinion but at the same time she didn't want to show her designs to fellow participants.

"Definitely," he said, pushing his glasses back with his finger. "I will study them critically and state my observations." He seemed proud and happy to be put up to that task. She couldn't ask for a better critique, as much as she found his surprise appearances fishy. After four years of stumbling into Conway in odd places, Dawn stopped wondering how creepy it was. She was just glad he never showed up in washrooms.

The four hour long discussion with Conway left her tired, but she was definitely happy at the outcome. Some of her doubts were clarified, a few of them attributed to her nervousness while the rest were genuine flaws. When she returned back to her apartment, Dawn was exhausted. She collapsed on the bed and fell asleep in no time.

 _And then she had yet another dream._

Dawn found herself floating in the middle of the lake, much like the last time. Her body was tied up by dark chains that enveloped her tiny arms and body. A powerful force stabbed at her forehead, as if to consume the great power that lay within.

She was Mesprit once again, bound by an unknown force in the middle of Lake Verity. She had no way to neither escape nor call for help. The water Pokémon in the lake swarmed around her, forming a defensive circle to stop her from going anywhere. Their eyes were bright red, a sign that the darkness has consumed their spirits and took control of their bodies.

But beating the legendary Pokémon that embodied emotions was no easy task. Dawn realized that the battle was coming to a close. Slowly, the darkness was beginning to take over Mesprit's body. An intense pain filled her, causing her to gradually lose a grip on her consciousness.

 _'I cannot…hold any longer. Save me!'_

Dawn sat up, a terrified look on her face. She was back to reality.

'Another dream…' Dawn felt her heart race like a train, as if it was about to break her chest open. She took a deep breath to calm herself and checked the clock, finding the hours hand on two. Her hands trembled, the visions she saw and Mesprit's plea for help terrified her. The night was suddenly uncomfortable, not letting her forget the darkness that consumed Mesprit.

"Piplup?" Her partner woke up, disturbed by her sudden movement. It rubbed its sleepy eyes before patting her hand with its stubby arms.

She hugged the Pokémon, her eyes filled with shock. "I had another dream." Her voice was shaky.

The Pokémon touched her face with its tiny arms, an attempt to comfort her. Dawn's expression lightened up. "That's right. No need to worry."

Determination filled her eyes. 'I must visit Lake Verity, there's no time.' The shadow was gradually taking over Mesprit. The Pokémon pleaded for Dawn's help, it would be foolish of her if she still thought it was a mere dream. She took the Pokétch on her desk and searched her contact list.

"Cynthia, we need to go."

 **More coming up next chapter!**

\- Also you can check my tumblr blog .com for status updates and some additional information!


	3. Chapter 2: Tumbling down

**A/N:** Hey everyone! Here is the latest installment of _Unbound._ Hope you have fun reading!

 **Chapter 2: Tumbling down**

 **Few months ago…**

 **Pallet Town, Oak's Laboratory**

When Gary Oak stepped out of his room, he looked stressed and anxious like a soldier standing in the frontlines of a battlefield. His furrowed eyebrows and distant gaze suggested that he was still in deep thought. One look at the young professor would make anyone wonder if he had just learnt some kind of apocalyptic news.

"Is everything okay, Gary?" His grandfather, took his eyes off the newspaper he held. The retired professor had enough experience with such groundbreaking news to guess that was the case.

Gary let out a wry smile. "Yeah, gramps. I mean it could be worse."

"I'm glad I don't participate in those dreadful conference calls anymore." The older professor said wistfully, taking a sip of his tea. "You don't know when they're going to pop the news about a world disaster. Speaking of which, Ash is here. He's upstairs in your room."

Gary blinked. "I'm surprised he remembers his hometown." Despite his reserved demeanor, he was honestly delighted.

"Hey Gary!"

The black-haired boy in his teens waved from upstairs, as energetic as always. He rushed down, feet pounding against the wood as he jumped down two steps at a time. "Be car—" His old grandfather's warning was too late.

With a loud noise, the trainer crashed and landed on the floor on his back and ended up with his legs in the air. Gary walked to his former rival, looking down with narrowed eyes. "You're a good entertainer as always, Ashy-boy."

Ash frowned, "I just slipped a bit."

"Few things never change," the Professor laughed.

"I heard you were in some super cool conference with all the professors!" Ash said, jumping back to his feet. He seemed enthusiastic all of a sudden. "Did you guys discover a new and rare Pokémon?"

Gary thought a bit before answering the question. "Well yeah, you could say that."

"Can I take a look at it?!" The eagerness in his tone was no different from when they first met as children. Did Ash ever age up after his tenth birthday?

He shook his head. "None of us have seen how it looks like. So far, its existence is a speculation." As much as he appreciated his former rival's enthusiasm, there were many things Gary couldn't disclose. He was forced to be vague, knowing well that Ash wouldn't like being denied of an answer.

Ash looked lost. "Oh…" He folded his arms, eyebrows narrowing as he pondered hard on it. "Well do you know where it is from? I can try finding it for you!"

"Don't you have anything better to do?" He sneered at his former rival. "If you slack off, you're not gonna with that Champions' League." That would do the trick. Ash was gullible enough to fall for an obvious insult like that.

But the trainer remained unruffled. "Well of course I am not. I am tired of training at the same place every day. Trying to find a rare Pokémon is a challenge that will make us stronger. "Come on Gary, remember how we helped you out in Sinnoh?"

"There were sensible people with you. Like Brock and _Dawn_ , who's younger but more mature than you."

"He does have a knack of landing in trouble running into dangerous, rare Pokémon." Professor Oak spoke, taking yet another sip of his tea. "Maybe he'll be a help to you, Gary. Everyone will understand. I'm sure they all know about Ash at this point."

Gary looked at his grandfather in his disbelief. "Gramps, you know I can't do that,it is way too sensitive."

"I think you underestimate me, Gary." Ash glared at the young professor. "I've grown much stronger in the last few months. Why don't you battle me?"

Gary hesitated to answer Ash's challenge. Ash had spent most of his time training his Pokémon while he spent his time in the laboratory, researching on Pokémon. Could he stand a chance against his friend after such a long gap? However he said, "I do train from time to time, Ash. So, I can still kick your ass if I want." But if Gary was good at anything, it was faking his confidence and riling up Ash Ketchum.

Shaking up the opponent's psyche usually wins half the match anyway.

"Oh yeah?" The raven-haired trainer was agitated. "Then let's do it, a one on one battle!"

Gary glared back at Ash but remained silent. He couldn't let a battle be the decision maker for such a critical situation. "I'll pass," he said, after a long silence. But he knew stopping Ash was impossible at this point. He had to throw a bone of sorts for Ash to chase. At the same time, he couldn't afford to reveal what the real threat was.

"Mintacqa region. That's where this Pokémon has originated from. It's a region far away from here with a different climate and culture. Maybe it'll be a great place for you to train." He wasn't lying, but in the conference he learnt that the Pokémon was creating a problem elsewhere. This way, he could keep Ash away from the danger.

"Alright!" Ash exclaimed, jumping in excitement. "I'm going to the _Mintacqa_ region!""

Gary smiled at his former rival's enthusiasm, relieving him from the stress caused by the news. He decided to not tell what the Pokémon or the legend it was known for. Knowing Ash, he wouldn't be asking such meaningful questions anyway.

Because he was already half-way back to his home, ready to pack for his trip.

* * *

 **Presently…**

 **Alter town, Mintacqa region**

A strange silence took over the donut shop as everyone's attention was gathered at the center of commotion. Ash instinctively grabbed the device in his pocket, having never seen the Pokémon before.

"Data not found."

Ash looked at the Pokédex in surprise, the device displayed a question mark. "What?" Morrison peered out of curiosity, he had never heard such a response from the all-knowing encyclopedia before.

 _'This must be the Pokémon Gary was talking about.'_ Ash thought, putting the device back in his pocket. It was much smaller than he had anticipated.

The Pokémon hovered around, grinning mischievously , "Were you surprised? Did Hoopa surprise you?"

"You bet I was," he rubbed the back of his head. He noticed that the Pokémon carried rings, one of which was responsible for the disappearing donuts. .

"So you were the one stealing our donuts." Morrison stepped forward. Food was a sensitive topic to Morrison, he didn't tolerate anyone who laid hands on something he was supposed to eat.

The Pokémon giggled as it danced around, "Hoopa likes donuts!"

Ash began to have doubts in his mind. How could this seemingly childish Pokémon be dangerous? But the fact that it was able to speak telepathically meant that it was not ordinary.

"Wait, why is this Pokémon talking?" Morrison finally realized that it was strange.

"Because it can." A voice answered from behind, coming from a tall man standing at the entrance.

"Mr. Simon?" Ash identified the man, who carried a delighted smile as he walked inside casually.

The crowd's attention shifted to the strangely dressed newcomer, they were completely befuddled by the course of events that took place in the last two minutes including Simon's arrival. The waiters were no different, except they were also worried about what would happen to the restaurant. "Boys," Simon said, clapping. He didn't seem to pay any attention to the people around him. "Good job in finding Hoopa." For once, Simon seemed to have taken his eyes off his watch. "Now, can you please capture it for me.."

Ash turned to Hoopa, his eyebrows rose when he noticed that the tiny legendary was in fact trembling in fear. Suddenly, the Pokémon seemed smaller and weaker. It was then he began to notice the bruises all over its body. Despite the cheerful front it had put up, the Pokémon seemed to have a tough time.

"Hoopa…not like...him…"

Ash's eyes widened, he turned back to Simon, demanding him to know what was going on with a questioning glare. "Capturing Hoopa is essential for our research. We were having a hard time catching this little trickster but my relentless pursuit has finally borne its fruits." He placed his hands in his pockets, taking out two Pokéball, colored in a strange combination of pink-white and tossed one each at Ash and Morrison.

Either trainer caught the Pokéball and stared at in surprise. "Those are Amity Pokéball, a special capsule for capturing obstinate Pokémon and make them friendlier towards us. Escaping an Amity Pokéball is difficult, even for a legendary. Now boys…"

Ash turned towards Hoopa, clutching onto the Pokéball in his hands. His Pikachu seemed to be ready to battle, capturing the Pokémon will not be a big deal. Catching a Pokémon was not wrong either, especially if it was something that could benefit someone…

"Alright!" Morrison exclaimed. He seemed pumped up, it was a perfect chance for him to get back at Hoopa for stealing their food.

Ash noticed the Pokémon's eyes quiver, reminding him of a child lost in a crowded fair. He gritted his teeth. "If we capture a Pokémon like this, how are we different from thieves?"

Morrison looked at him, blinking in confusion. "We are just capturing it like any wild….actually this feels more like hunting than catching. That's right, if we are hunting and ganging upon a Pokémon to capture it for our sake, then there _is_ no difference between us and bad people."

Ash beamed, happy that his friend had realized the same thing. He turned back to Simon, his lips pursed in a straight line. "Mr. Simon, I'm sorry but we can't do this."

"That's right! Why are we doing this anyway?" Morrison demanded to know.

Simon let out a sigh, shaking his head. "To think you'd ask this question _after_ coming this far." He laughed to himself. "The two of you are really dense."

Ash rubbed his nose. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

"To answer your question," Simon spoke as he began to fiddle with his watch again. "The Pokémon you see is called Hoopa. It has some rare and incredible powers that lets it teleport things from one place to the another. The people of this region know it as a wish-granting genie because it can bring anything they wish for from any corner of the world. Of course, they probably did not know that Hoopa was simply teleporting things from somewhere else back then."

"That explains the donuts," Ash muttered. Morrison grunted in agreement.

"The power this Pokémon carries is invaluable and there are certain agents of trouble that are looking for using it to further their selfish goals. But we at Leppa are an organization that is dedicated to take humanity and Pokémon as a whole forward. We are different from greedy corporate like Silph Co. and outclass Devon Corp with our outstanding diligence and devotion. The Pokémon behind you is important to us, but it is quite slippery. I sought your help because my capabilities as a trainer are limited. Now boys, can you please capture Hoopa?"

Ash's response was silence, his expression not visible to Simon. His grip on the Pokéball grew tighter and when he raised his head, Simon realized that the answer was a no. "If we do that, there will be no difference between us and Team Rocket," he said.

"Team Rocket?" Simon's lips pursed, for once he seemed really serious. "Perhaps that's true, but it is the result that's more important. We are doing this for a great cause, so such reasons only look pitiful."

"Mr. Simon," Ash said, tossing the Pokéball back at him. "I don't know all that complex stuff. I am not going to do it."

"Me too." Morrison joined.

Simon shrugged, putting the capsules back in his pocket. "I knew this would happen." He fiddled with his watch. "The two of you did seem the bone-headed types. Persuasion may not help either. I guess I'll just have to bring my backups."

The two trainers threw Simon a puzzled glance. "What? Did you think I've only picked the two of you?" He let out a laugh. "You two are really cute."

"We'll not let you catch Hoopa," Ash glared at him.

Simon calmly took out his tablet and began tapping on the screen. "About four-five trainers in our near vicinity are now looking for this very treasure I've entrusted the two of you to look for. This new application we developed will let them track Hoopa's location based on its energy. Quite handy, isn't it?"

"We'll not let anyone go past us." Morrison insisted. The two seemed more than determined to protect Hoopa.

But then—

"Hoopa won't let you capture!" With a sudden cry the Pokémon shot past the two trainers and Simon, and exited from the donut shop, leaving everyone stunned. Everyone except Simon, of course.

"Hoopa!" Ash exclaimed, running after the Pokémon. If what Simon said was true, Hoopa will be tracked and caught even if it attempted to escape.

Simon watched the two boys racing towards the exit to follow Hoopa, and shook his head. "Remember you owe me a lot of money now!" Neither trainers paid attention to what Simon said as they rushed out. "Well I can still track them and recover the money whenever I want. Without my application, they will not be able to find Hoopa. But the remaining trainers will find it in no time." He spoke to himself.

The crowd and the staff gawked at him, as if he were an alien who had just descended on earth. Simon ignored them and walked outside, today he was going to catch Hoopa at any cost.

* * *

 **Lumiose City, Kalos Region**

Meanwhile, Cilan was having the time of his life, enjoying every bit of his time inside the Prism Tower. Encouraged by his enthusiasm, Meyer spent extra efforts in describing the details of the construction and the history behind it. Cilan jotted down everything religiously, because it was valuable information he wouldn't find anywhere else.

"You couldn't have picked a better time to visit Lumiose, Cilan. It's true that Kalos is a really beautiful region and Lumiose is the epitome of its grandeur but there's more to Lumiose than its beauty, and you'll get the chance to see it for yourself today."

"I am aware," Cilan smiled, much to Meyer's surprise. "In fact, that is the reason I've picked today to visit Lumiose City."

"So you know about the pride of Lumiose? The masked…?"

Cilan nodded. He took out his live caster and opened an article he had saved earlier. "The masked hero of Lumiose, named Ampharos Mask will appear in the center of Lumiose City, to announce the countdown for the Champion's league and the Kalos Carnival. A lucky trainer of his choice will get to battle Mega Ampharos."

"That's right," Meyer said. "Ampharos Mask and his predecessor Blaziken Mask had been protecting the Lumiose City for a long time. His presence ensures that the upcoming tournament and carnival will be a peaceful and enjoyable event for everyone."

"A wonderful way to start off a world class event, indeed. In a few months, Kalos will be the center of the entire world as all major events will happen at once. Grand Festivals, World-class Tripokalon, Fashion competitions and many more special events— my soul dances in excitement when I imagine this, I can hardly wait for the next three months to pass."

Meyer chuckled at Cilan's enthusiasm. After that, they returned to the ground floor through a different route that led to the southern exit. "And that's about it. I think we haven't missed out anything." The older man laughed, realizing he got carried away with his tour.

Cilan however, didn't seem to mind it. He spoke with an earnest smile, "I have enjoyed the tour thoroughly. I will fondly remember everything I've seen and listened today, not even a single bolt in this tower will escape my memory. Thank you, very much."

Meyer nodded in approval. Behind him, Cilan noticed the symbol of a Pokéball in neon lights positioned above sliding doors. "I'm guessing that's the Lumiose Gym. Just like the entire tower, it has got quite a dazzling taste to it." He could barely hear the faint noises of roars and explosions coming from beyond. "I can feel the intense flavor of a battle. Clearly, the leader is up against a powerful and passionate challenger, testing his very limits with paralyzing electric Pokémon."

"Do you want to see the battle?" By then, Meyer learnt that whenever Cilan spoke long sentences about a topic, it means he really likes it.

"I would love to if the gym leader doesn't mind."

Meyer chuckled, "Don't worry about that. My son always likes inviting guests to the gym." He led the sommelier towards the entrance.

The automatic doors opened, leading to a small room with two exits. One of the exits would take them to the center of the battlefield while the other led to a staircase going up. Taking the latter route, the two reached the stands where they could see the entire battlefield. Cilan's attention shifted to the field as he sat down.

To put it simply, the sight was glorious. The battlefield was a glowing yellow, filled with a sharp taste of raw electricity that coursed throughout, a sight fitting of an electric gym. The display was not a result of some artificial setting but a Pokémon's move. He could guess that it was a part of the leader's strategy.

Electric Terrain.

True to its name, the move envelops the battlefield with electricity and creates a perfect platform for electric Pokémon. Any Pokémon that wasn't an electric type would take damage from the constant electric shocks while electric types get the chance to overpower their opponents with boosted electric moves.

Although he had heard of the move, Cilan never had the opportunity to see it in action. The strategy was a difficult test for trainers to pass, given the advantage the leader gains in such a setting. However—

What awaited the two newcomers was an unexpected sight.

On the battlefield two Pokémon stood, one exhausted and beaten while the other looked vibrant and full of energy. The former was a Luxray standing before a blond in his teens. He wore glasses that had a tinted glow, along with a light blue suit with yellow lining. Unmistakably, the boy was the young genius Clemont.

On the other side was an Electivire, flexing its muscles as its body glowed with a brilliant yellow.

"Motor drive…" Meyer mumbled. "This is bad."

Behind the Electivire was a trainer with a purple hair and thick eyebrows. The expression he carried was cold, not showing excitement or worry. He seemed to be of the same age as Clemont, Cilan noted. Just by the look at the two trainers, Cilan guessed that the battle had far surpassed the level of a mere gym battle.

In exceptional cases when the challenger was deemed good, leaders were allowed to go all out and use Pokémon of higher level*. It was acceptable as long as the battle isn't unfair to the challenger.

"Luxray's doesn't seem to be fatigue alone," Cilan said, observing the Pokémon closely. "Could it be…?"

"It's poisoned." Meyer confirmed.

'Looks like the challenger is in control of the battle,' Cilan thought. The battle would be one-sided considering Electivire's immunity against electric attacks. Additionally, the electric terrain was adding to the leader's woes thanks to Motor Drive.

Clemont moved. "Luxray! Let's use this pinch as a chance. Push forward with Façade!"

'Pinch as a chance?' Cilan widened his eyes in surprise. A strange sense of nostalgia filled him, and suddenly he was smiling. "What an interesting flavor."

The Pokémon resembling a lion charged forward, roaring as its body was enveloped in energy.

"That trainer isn't making a move…" Meyer looked puzzled.

Cilan felt his muscles tense as the Luxray approached Electivire, its attack boosted by the poison status. Façade was an attack that dealt more damage when a Pokémon was under a status. If it won't defeat the opposite side instantly, it would at least a great deal of damage. But then—

"Protect."

A sharp command without any emotion came from the trainer with the cold expression. As if it rehearsed the move many times before, Electivire responded swiftly. A green barrier appeared right in front of the Pokémon at the last minute.

It was too late for Luxray to move away, the momentum made it difficult for it to stop. The roaring Pokémon crashed into the wall with great force that would put a truck to shame. Even the defending Electivire had to take a step back to sustain its barrier. But the Pokémon's balance and posture was more than perfect, not letting the ramming Luxray move further.

"It's well trained." Meyer commented.

Luxray roared in pain at the impact. It crashed and continued to slide on the field before rolling back onto its fours. The Pokémon glared at its defensive opponent with its gleaming eyes, disliking the turn of events.

The opposing trainer mumbled something, as if Luxray's sheer power surprised him. 'Could its special ability be Guts?' Cilan wondered.

The Luxray cringed in pain as the poison took a toll on its body. Deciding that it was his cue to move, the purple-haired trainer made his move. "Electivire, Cross Chop!"

The humanoid creature flexed its leg muscles before it began sprinting like a runner. The Pokémon's speed was unimaginable for its bulky physique. A miracle like that was possible only thanks to the special ability the creature possessed.

The Pokémon spread its arms as it dashed towards Luxray, ready to finish the move in a cross. But Clemont looked far from unprepared. "Dodge it with Double Team please!"

As Electivire landed its attack, Luxray quickly created copies of itself. The attack ended up landing on a copy that turned a cloud of dust. Electivire looked around to find a mass of Luxray surrounding it, but the Pokémon didn't seem to look panicked or surprised.

"This might be his chance," Meyer commented. One Façade could potentially shift the game in Clemont's favor. At this point, Clemont should be desperate to land at least a single hit. The more the battle drags on, the tougher it gets for the gym leader.

However, Clemont did not utter his command and instead stood silently, as if he were waiting for something.

The other trainer responded swiftly. "Thunder, use it on the field!"

"Field?" Cilan blinked in surprise.

The Electivire anchored its tails into the battlefield and began releasing the high voltage attack straight into the ground. The ground exploded in response, as splinters of rock began flying everywhere around Electivire.

The Luxray clones disappeared one after the other, each leaving a cloud of dust upon disappearing. Soon, the Electivire realized that it was surrounded by a thick layer of dust that completely obscured its vision.

"Wait a minute." For once, the expressionless trainer looked surprised.

Clemont smirked, adjusting his glasses. "Luxray, Iron Tail!"

The Pokémon let out a roar as it jumped out of the dust and twisted its body to land a clean hit on Electivire. The attack, boosted by the power of its special ability knocked it back a few steps before it tripped and fell down.

"This is your chance!" Clemont ordered immediately. "Façade!"

Luxray followed up its attack immediately with a prompt Façade but—

"Protect."

Even as it was on its knees, Electivire created a green barrier just in time to send Luxray back, flying away—

But the Protect shattered right after the move and Electivire—who had taken some of the Façade's impact was knocked off its feet. The Electivire grunted in pain after hitting the arena floor.

"What an intense battle. The end is near and we are still unsure who has more chances of winning."

"I've never seen a trainer switch between combination of defensive and offensive tactics so easily. He's good. He's really good," Meyer said.

The Electivire and Luxray stood up, each glaring at the other. "But your son responds equally well. He's calm even in the toughest times. Any lesser trainer would have panicked and blindly attacked Electivire but Clemont anticipated some sort of counterattack from Electivire and waited instead. Frankly, both of these trainers are Elite Four level."

"If it weren't for the poison, things would've looked much better." Meyer muttered. Cilan wondered what kind of Pokémon would've inflicted such a bad poison.

"Electivire, Thunder on the field!"

"Luxray, charge in with Double Team! Façade!"

The two trainers had their strategies for the next move that would decide the outcome of the match. But fate had something else in store for them.

A sudden explosion shook up the entire battlefield, plunging the Prism Tower into darkness.

* * *

 **Back in Alter Town**

The crowd made way for Ash and Morrison as they raced like mad Tauros along the pavement. They had no clue where to search for Hoopa, but they were extremely determined so they decided to run anyway.

Their futile search ended when a sudden explosion stopped them in their tracks. "What was that?" Ash turned around, searching for the source that was clearly a Pokémon's move. He gritted his teeth in frustration when he couldn't pinpoint where the disturbance came from.

Morrison tossed a Pokéball. "I had enough of this. Metagross, go!"

Ash decided to follow his friend. He enlarged his Pokéball and tossed it onto the pavement. "Glalie, I choose you!"

The two Pokémon made an appearance one after the other, each with a steady and determined gaze. "Glalie, we need to find Hoopa and save it!"

"Metagross, let's give our all and protect Hoopa from those bad guys!"

The Pokémon growled in agreement and floated away in the general direction Ash pointed to. The trainers followed the Pokémon, not wanting to rest even a second. Even as their Pokémon disappeared out of sight, Ash and Morrison continued to run after them.

"We'll save you, no matter what." Ash muttered to himself. Even if it was for a good cause, Ash couldn't tolerate a Pokémon being harmed by people's selfish desires.

An exploding noise echoed through the town, yet again. Ash and Morrison looked up, alert. A trail of smoke rose up at a distance somewhere. The two trainers exchanged a knowing glance. "Let's go!" Morrison exclaimed.

By the time they reached the source, Metagross and Glalie just arrived at the spot. The Pokémon growled in acknowledgement of the trainers' arrival before focusing on the scene. On the other side of the road, a bunch of trainers and their Pokémon surrounded the lone Hoopa at the entrance of a lane. On one side of the lane was a small flower shop while on the other side was a tall building that faced the main road.

A Houndoom snarled, letting out a burst of flames on the cornered Hoopa, but the Pokémon poised its ring in defense. The flames passed through the ring as if it were a black hole and came out from Hoopa's right, where another ring stood in the air. An unsuspecting Claydol became the victim of the powerful attack, cringing in pain as the flames burned its clay body.

"Hey, watch before you attack!" The Claydol's trainer yelled.

Meanwhile a Galvantula silently crawled down the walls of the building without catching Hoopa's attention. The Pokémon, tired and surrounded, had no way to detect the bug type's presence. However, to someone watching the scene from the main road, it was fairly easy to point out.

The Galvantula's whiskers quivered as it opened its mouth and prepared to shoot its signature move. But then—

"Don't let them, Glalie!" Ash's order came in the nick of time. Pointing his finger at the airborne Galavantula, he ordered. "Use Ice Beam!"

Dashing its way towards the scene, the rice ball of a Pokémon concentrated the ice type energy between its horns and let out the freezing ray just as Galvantula shot out a static filled sticky web from its mouth.

The attack known as Electroweb is known for rendering its target immobile due to its sticky nature while also paralyzing them with the electricity. A Pokémon trapped under the move would have a hard time breaking out of it.

But thanks to Glalie, the said web turned into a frozen mass way before it could reach its intended target and broke into pellets of ice that rained over the battle area. Needlessly to say, the move caught everyone else's attention. The battling trainers stopped to look at Ash and Morrison.

"Hoopa!" Ash exclaimed. "We're here to save you!"

A sense of relief could be seen on the Pokémon's face, reflected by the hostility in the attacking trainer's expressions. "Trying to play the good cop and steal the treasure?" The teen with black hair and red sideburns was Houndoom's trainer. "We'll destroy you first!"

In reply, the Houndoom stepped forward and let out a burst of flames at Glalie. Ash swiftly responded, "Jump!"

Bouncing against the ground, Glalie hoisted itself into the air, dodging the flames with ease. But—

"Gengar, Focus Blast!"

The ghost type quickly darted and appeared behind Glalie, and brought its shadowy arms together as it began to focus its energy. With a blinding yellow light, the Focus Blast began to take shape between Gengar's tiny arms.

"Watch out!" Ash warned, realizing it was impossible for him to attack back.

"Flash Canon!"

Morrison's move came in as a saving grace, the low powered steel type attack that had a minimal charging time was immediately shot at its target, which was still in the midst of preparing the move. The fast attack blew Gengar away like a piece of paper and the unreleased Focus Blast disappeared into nothing.

Ash's Glalie backed away from its pool of opponents and stood at Metagross's side, giving its rival a growl in acknowledgment. "That was a life saver. Thanks, Morrison!"

"There's too many," Morrison gnashed his teeth. "And I'm going to beat up each one of them."

"That's the spirit," Ash grinned, a cocky smile on his face. "Let's beat all of them and save Hoopa."

"Pikapi Pika!" Ash's Pikachu jumped from his shoulder and waved its arms frantically, as if it had some other plans in mind.

"Pikachu..? Wait a minute, that's right." He turned to his friend. "We need to save Hoopa. Pikachu will go get it while we attack these guys. What do you say, Morrison?"

Morrison contemplated for a second. "Sounds like a plan to me," he agreed.

'Good thinking buddy.' Ash silently thanked his Pokémon. He smiled at his best friend, acknowledging its quick wit. In his zeal, he prioritized defeating the trainers before him over saving Hoopa, as it was seemingly a natural course of action. He ended up getting his priorities wrong until his partner pointed it out.

"Are you guys gonna chicken out or something?" Gengar's trainer asked, the women dressed in black didn't seem to be interested in letting go of their opponents so easily.

Ash snorted. "No way. Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

Responding with an excited exclaim, Pikachu sprinted its way towards the mob of Pokémon standing between Hoopa and itself, leaving a trail of its normal energy behind.

The oldest trainer retorted first. "Claydol, Psychic!"

The doll-like Pokémon let out its cry in response, focusing its psychic energy on the oncoming rodent. However, the electric type quickly swerved to its right with an unbelievable suddenness and dashed towards Houndoom. The dark Pokémon stepped back in surprise at the sudden movement.

"Flash Canon on Claydol!"

Meanwhile, Morrison took advantage of the confusion, the steel move landed on Claydol with an exploding noise.

"Don't let it go, Crunch!" Houndoom's trainer commanded. The hound gnashed its teeth and attempted to crunch the rodent, but the Pokémon, still in the midst of its Quick Attack, slipped between its legs and dashed towards Hoopa.

"Don't let it go, Galvantula!"

"Gengar, Shadow Ball!"

"Sawk, chase it and Close Combat!"

Ash moved. "No way! Glalie, use Blizzard!"

Glalie opened its jaws and let out a harsh snowy wind, pushing Galvantula, Claydol and Gengar into defense. But Sawk moved out of the attack's range and chased Pikachu.

Pikachu looked behind in surprise, finding the fighting type on its trail. With a determined expression, the Pokémon turned around and dashed towards Sawk instead.

"If you focus on Pikachu, we'll blow you away!" Morrison exclaimed. "Metagross, Hammer Arm on Houndoom!"

The steel type quickly launched itself into the air as Glalie's attack continued to push the three Pokémon back in defense. As the steel type landed on top of Houndoom with its powerful arm, Glalie stopped its own attack, the timing so perfect that it seemed planned.

The attack landed on Houndoom like a ton, crushing the hound against the surface of the road. The impact caused the concrete to crack apart with a crunching noise, only to be overshadowed by Houndoom's weak whimpers. A deafening silence stood afterwards.

The other trainers watched aghast as Houndoom lay there motionless, unable to battle.

Meanwhile, Pikachu dashed towards Sawk only to jump over the Pokémon's shoulders and launched itself into the air. But the fighting type seemed to be prepared for the move, as it responded by launching itself towards Pikachu.

"I'll help too!" Hoopa who had been watching the battle silently pulled on of its rings and threw it at Sawk just as the Pokémon began to attack Pikachu.

On the other side, Galvantula's trainer was the first to recover from Morrison's shocking move. "Galvantula, paralyze Metagross with Thunder!"

"Metagross, endure it!" Morrison exclaimed, realizing there was no way for them to dodge the attack from a close range.

Galvantula charged up its electric energy at once, preparing to launch the powerful electric attack. But then—

Hoopa's ring abruptly appeared right before Galvantula, a moment after which the Sawk who was supposedly attacking Pikachu randomly appeared through the ring and ended up launching its attack on Galvantula just as the spider released its own attack.

The confusing clash caused Galvantula to misfire the attack and blow up, the resulting explosion catching both itself and Sawk in surprise.

"Galvantula!"

"Sawk!"

Ash watched Hoopa with his eyes widened in surprise. "Not bad," he said, though his expression betrayed his amazement. He narrowed his eyebrows, "We need to use this chance. Glalie, Ice Beam on Claydol!"

The rice ball moved and aimed its attack at the ground type, but Cladyol's trainer quickly moved to defense. "Claydol, Light Screen!"

Just as the Ice Beam struck the ground type, a barrier of light shrouded the Pokémon at once and protected it from the super-effective move. The defensive move hampered Ash's chances of finishing off the weakened target.

Gengar's trainer ordered immediately. "Gengar, Shadow Ball!"

The ghost darted forward and spun around, pitching its Shadow Ball as if it were a professional baseball player.

"Glalie-!"

Ash had no time to react, the ghost type ended up landing a clean shot. The trainer from Pallet Town clenched his teeth, as he watched his Pokémon groan in pain. "Are you okay, Glalie?" He asked, to which the Pokémon grunted in response.

"We're not done yet either!" It was Morrison who ordered this time. "Metagross, Flash canon on Gengar!"

Metagross retaliated, letting out the flashy move against the ghost type, who was still in the midst of enjoying its small victory. The attack made contact in no time, exploding in the Pokémon's face.

Morrison pumped his fist in victory. "Alright!"

His smile disappeared just as the smoke cleared and Gengar emerged out of the smoke relatively unharmed, a yellow screen surrounded it like a barrier.

"Light Screen?!" Ash didn't expect the move to affect Pokémon belonging to other trainers as well. Clearly, the Claydol was well trained in a defensive style of battling.

Ash and Morrison stepped back, neither looking happy at the situation. The five trainers standing before them were definitely not novices, he thought. They all seemed to be strong enough to participate in a league. Although he and Morrison had the edge as of now, it will not be long before they will be overwhelmed.

Both Sawk and Galvantula rose from the ground and joined the ranks, the four standing stood like a wall opposing Glalie and Metagross. Although both Ash and Morrison weren't the type to give up easily, they knew that they wouldn't stand a chance if their four opponents worked together in coordination.

"The two of you can't beat us," Gengar's trained smirked, brushing her purple hair in confidence. "I'm sure you know that already."

Morrison shook with anger, but remained silent because she was right.

However, Ash smiled. The trainers looked confused at his sudden confidence "Yeah," he said, adjusting his hat slightly. "You're right, we don't stand a chance against you. But we still won."

Gengar's trainer frowned at this. "What are you blabbe-?" She paused mid-sentence, realizing something and turned back where Pikachu and Hoopa stood a while ago. The remaining followed suit.

There was nothing there.

"Glalie, return." Ash returned his Pokémon into its Pokéball. "You did a great job buddy, now take a good rest." He then looked at the trainers. "Told ya."

Morrison did the same and returned his own Pokémon back into its Pokéball. "You guys are so simple, you focused too much on attacking us and let that Pokémon go."

The Claydol's trainer was irritated. "You speak as if _you_ planned it." He scowled at the orange-haired trainer.

Morrison took offense to his comment. "Well of course, I did!"

The trainers gave Morrison a silent look before checking their devices. "Dammit, my battery is running out!" Sawk's trainer was jabbing his device frustratedly.

"Leppa batteries always die fast," Gengar's trainer sighed, putting her phone back into her bag. "You guys got lucky. But I'll find Hoopa and give it to that snazzy dude."

"Look you guys," Ash said. "Do you really want to capture an innocent Pokémon for money? If you do that, what's the difference between you and the bad guys?"

"It's not just for money," Galvantula's trainer was a frail and bespectled young man. "We are doing it to support their cause. That Pokémon is valuable research material to them."

"But it's wrong to capture the Pokémon against its wishes!" Ash was angry, evident in the rage carried in his brown eyes. "If you gang on a Pokémon and hurt it in order to capture, then you are a bad guy."

Morrison nodded, folding his arms before adding. "Pokémon are meant to be captured in a straight and fair battle." He pointed his finger at them. "If you don't have the guts to face it alone and convince it to come with you, then you are not even a trainer!"

Morrison's words seemed to have an impact on the trainers because they remained silent, reflecting their actions.

"Man, that's'right," Houndoom's trainer said. "If we do that, we're almost like poachers. The league might even take our licenses away if they come to know this."

"Yeah," Claydol's trainer agreed. "Catching some rare Pokémon and give it to some weird guy sounds wrong now that I think about it. For all we know, that thing is probably a legendary Pokémon."

"That Simon didn't seem like a nice guy either. I was greedy because I wanted the money..." Sawk's trainer said, looking regretful.

"Money?"A childish voice rang in their minds, communicating through telepathy.

The startled trainers looked up in the air and found Hoopa floating in the sky above them, a mischievous grin on its face. "You want money? Hoopa get you money!" The Pokémon took out a ring and let it hover above them.

"Hoopa what are you doing?!" Ash exclaimed. He had expected them to run away!

The Pokémon ignored the teen. "Allay Hoopa Ring!" As Hoopa said the words, the ring spread apart and out of the vortex, gold coins began to shower on the trainers.

In no time, the trainers were completely buried under the flood, literally suffocating underneath. A mountain of gold now stood in the middle of the town, a scene that would shock the daylights out of everyone.

"Pikapi!" Ash's loyal partner rushed to the scene, searching for its trainer amidst the pool of gold.

Ash could barely stick one of his hands out of the pile. "I'm fine, buddy." He gave a thumbs up, his voice was muffled.

Pikachu sighed in relief, knowing that its trainer is safe. Meanwhile, Morrison was spitting out some coins that accidentally went into his mouth. "They don't taste good at all."

"Well, it's supposed to make your wallets fat, not your tummy." Gengar's trainer commented, a tinge of sarcasm in her tone.

"What a prankster, where did he even get all this gold from?" Houndoom's trainer asked. The hostility the trainers carried earlier disappeared now that they had given up on the hunt. Instead, they joined Ash and Morrison to watch the Pokemon prance around in the air, childishly.

Hoopa twirled around, "Hoopa give money! Hoopa grant wishes! Hoopa grant..!" The Pokémon stopped midway. "Hoopa tired…" Exhausting overcoming its tiny body, the Pokémon dropped down. Luckily, Morrison ,who was close underneath, jumped and grabbed the Pokémon.

"Looks like it's out for the day," Morrison said, chuckling at its childlike nature. Using its energy to summon a massive amount of gold on top of the battles it faced left the Pokémon exhausted.

"It must have trusted you guys and spent all of its energy." One of the trainers commented. Ash realized it was true, which in turn made him responsible for looking after the Pokemon. He felt a pang of sadness upon noticing the bruises on the Pokémon's body.

Ash walked to Morrison to observe the sleeping Pokémon closely. Everything about the Pokémon including the way it defenselessly dozed off in Morrison's arms was akin to a little child. "He's a really cheerful guy, isn't he?" He touched its forehead. 'I'll protect you from Simon.'

"What are we gonna do with all this money?" The rest were more interested in the gold that piled up around them.

"Take whatever you want and leave the rest," someone suggested.

The group began discussing about it, but Ash had his mind preoccupied with thoughts about the danger Hoopa was in. With Simon on the prowl, they were in trouble no matter where they go. His face brightened when an idea struck his mind. "Morrison, let's take Hoopa and get out of this town."

Morrison scratched his head. "But no matter how far we go, Simon is gonna stalk us with that weird watch thing."

"I know," Ash said. "But if we manage to go to the next Pokémon Center before he finds us, we can make Hoopa feel better." Plus, he would get a chance to tell Gary about the latest update and find a way to fool Simon's devices.

Morrison nodded, trusting his friend's judgement without hesitation.

* * *

The two trainers headed towards the next town, not wanting to waste any time before Simon caught up with them. Although their minds were filled with many questions about Hoopa, they decided to wait for the answers.

As they continued to walk…

"Pika.." Pikachu looked up in surprise.

"What's wrong, Pikachu?"

Pikachu remained silent, an unsettled look on its face. But it seemed like even the Pokémon couldn't figure what felt amiss. The Pallet Town trainer noticed that the wild Pokémon around them seemed restless too. He didn't know what it was, but he could tell that sticking around in the forest wouldn't be a good idea.

"We need to hurry up."

 **To be Continued...**


End file.
